We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ben Bradbury. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ben below.
Ben, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
It was June 2023, and myself and my best friend + housemate Tom were facing a problem… we were socializing a bunch, but not reading enough! So we sat down one day and thought: What if we combined the social energy of the city with the mindful energy of introspective reading that we were craving? We figured out a format that gives people a nice mix of time to connect and time to themselves, invited 10 friends to a “Reading Party” on our rooftop, and went from there.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Reading Rhythms started as a fun way to read more with four friends, and it’s pretty astounding to see it take shape as a grassroots community. At our core, Reading Rhythms events are a “reading party” designed for individuals who share our values of connection, intentionality, playfulness and wonder. We bring together like-minded readers who cherish turning pages and value meaningful connection. Our gatherings offer a unique blend of shared interests and collective exploration, providing a space where the joy of reading is enhanced through shared experiences and conversations.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
The organic origins for sure. We just focused on throwing quality events, friends told their friends, and eventually word got out. It didn’t hurt getting covered by NYT, too!
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
Reading Rhythms started as a group of friends! I met John and Tom through another great community, Next Gen Summit, a space for young entrepreneurs to connect started by our friend Dylan. It was 2018 and we were all looking for other likeminded people to vibe with. Ashley and Charlotte came into my life later, and we immediately hit it off. We all shared the values that would one day underpin Reading Rhythms: Connection, intentionality, playfulness and wonder.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bento.me/benbradbury
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benbradbury/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbradbury/
- Twitter: https://x.com/benbradbury_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@benbradbury_
